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2013 Pan: Female black belts decide open weight final match

Mackenzie Dern looks to her dad, Megaton, for reassurance after taking the back of Talita Nogueira / Photo by Erin Herle

The fourth day of the 2013 Pan American Championship brought the black belt open weight classes. For the females, the division held ten women who were all fighting to make it to the finals on Sunday, March 24. Tomorrow holds the fate for many to claim a gold that may be a fifth or a first but still holds the same importance.

The final for the females will be between Gabrielle Garcia of Alliance and Beatriz Mesquita of Gracie Humaita. This will be a match that has occurred many, many times before at the most prestigious tournaments from Long Beach to Abu Dhabi. They are no stranger to each other’s games so they each have their strategy.

Gabrielle Garcia entered her first match after waiting with a bye. She went against lightweight Fabiana Borges who had defeated Thaysa Silva, wife of MMA fighter Thiago Silva, by points. Borges began the quarter final match against Garcia by pulling half guard. After Garcia pressured a pass, she regained closed guard but was not able to maintain it for too long. Garcia locked on an americana submission and the match was finished. Garcia’s second match was against Mackenzie Dern who came off her first ever black belt pan am win with a choke from the back of Talita Nogueira. Dern pulled guard on Garcia and after she turned to turtle, Garcia flattened her out, got to her back and secured a clock choke for the win.

Bia’s choke and sweep

Beatriz Mesquita celebrates her win over Luiza Monteiro in the semi-finals of the black belt open division / Photo by Erin Herle

Beatriz Mesquita had a bye for her first round and waited for Andresa Correa to defeat her first opponent, Vanessa Nascimento where she did so by points. In the quarter finals, Mesquita was able to get the better of Correa by securing the back mount position and finishing with a lapel choke. Her second match was against Luiza Monteiro who defeated Luzia Fernandes with an armbar in her previous match. In what was a frustrating match on both ends, Mesquita and Monteiro battled it out while sitting in the double guard position attempting berimbolo and 50/50 positions for a good part of the time. After grips were broken and movement was pushed, Monteiro came up for the advantage putting her in the lead. Feeling the pressure as the clock winded down, Mesquita succeeded a sweep and gained the two points against a fighting Monteiro to secure the win.

So far the results/agenda for tomorrow are as followed:

Third: Mackenzie Dern and Luiza Monteiro

Final: Gabrielle Garcia vs. Beatriz Mesquita

To see interviews with each of the finalists of the female black belt adult open division, click here.